The Geology of Canyonlands National Park

The Geology of Canyonlands National Park covers the stratigraphic time period from the Pennsylvanian (300 mya) through the Jurassic Period (150 mya). The stratigraphic deposits consist of sandstone, shale, siltstone, evaporites, and limestone representing submergent and emergent landscapes throughout the time frame represented by sedimentary rocks.

Chapter 1 begins with the physiography and geologic overview of the park. Chapter 2 provides a stratigraphic overview of the park's formations. Chapter 3 presents a summary of the Laramide orogeny and its effects on the park and surrounding region. Chpater 4 offers a field tour of the Canyonlands National Park addressing the geographical setting, rocks and landforms, and park observations of the three main divisions: The High Mesas, the Bench-lands, and the Green and Colorado River canyons. Chapter 5 ends the book with a summary of the geologic history.